Design Templates (2003/2002)

[AlanChris]

I have created some original design templates by changing the background and inserting a graphic. I save the template as a design template. When I close PP and then re-open it, I see the template that I have just created listed.in the section entitled "Apply A Design Template." When I select it and click "Apply A Design Template," it does not work. Yet, there are other design templates, some with graphics and some without, that do work. What makes the difference? The templates are stored in the proper default folder. Is there something I should be looking for? Could it be the size of the template? Two that did not work are 257kb and 436 kb; however, one that did work is 760 kb.
Thank you very much.

Alan Silberlight

[HansV]

You should edit the Slide Master and if applicable, the Title Master in your template. These masters will be applied to the slides in your presentation when you apply the template.

[AlanChris]

Dear Hans,
Thank you for responding so quickly. However, I am still confused. I know what a Slide Master is and how to create it. But what steps do I take to take the design template that i have already created and edit the Slide Master with it, as you have suggested? Would it help I I sent you one of the design templates that I have created that have been giving me problems? Since they're over 100kb, I would have to send it to you directly. Again, thank you very much.

Alan Silberlight

[HansV]

You'd have to

- Open the template.
- Cut the graphic to the clipboard.
- Select View | Master | Slide Master
- Apply the background (Format | Background)
- Paste the graphic (or insert it anew)
- If you want a different layout for the title, also edit the Title Master.
- Close the Master.
- Remove any remaining contents from the slide(s).
- Close and save the template.

If you still want to attach a template, try zipping it.

[HansV]

Copy (or Cut) and Paste will transfer objects such as text boxes and pictures, but not the slide background set by Format | Background, even if you used a picture as background. There are two ways to set the background for the slide master:
1) If you have already set the background for a slide, select Format | Background while in that slide. The current background should come up. Click the 'Apply to All' button. This will set the current slide background as background for the slide master.
2) Activate the slidde master, and select Format | Background. You'll have to specify the background from scratch.

[AlanChris]

Dear Hans,
I tried your steps. They work perfectly! Thank you very much. From what I can see, backgrounds cannot be copied to the Slide Master; they must be done in gthe Slide Master. Also, when I put them on a template, they do not work unless I follow your procedures.
I would like to send you the steps that I had been working with. Obviously, they are flawed. Would it be possible for you to pinpoint the flaw? Thank you so much. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Alan Silberlight

************************************************** ************************************************** ****************************************
CREATE A DESIGN TEMPLATE IN POWERPOINT WITH A SLIDE MASTER AND A TITLE MASTER


Open PowerPoint
Start with a blank slide
Create the template by using the desired graphic
Edit>Select All
Edit>Cut
View>Master>Slide Master
Edit>Paste

(If Necessary)
Right-click
Order>Send to Back

Insert>New Title Master
File>Save As (Click the drop-down arrow and save as Design Template)

*************************************************
CREATE DESIGN TEMPLATE WITH SLIDE MASTER AND TITLE MASTER

File>New Slide
View>Master>Slide Master
Insert>New Title Master
Format>Background
Click Apply To All
File>Save As (Save as Design Template)

[AlanChris]

Thank you, again. I do understand everything that you are saying. However, there must be a concept that I am still not understanding well. Let's say I do not want to create any Slide Master. All I want to do is use a design template. When I go to a design template that I have created (Save as design template), it works for only the first slide or it does not work. How can I get the design template to work properly if I do not want to create a Slide Master? Or is it that I must create a Slide Master using your steps? I am really confused.

Again, thank yhou for all your help.
Alan Silberlight

[HansV]

You must distinguish two different uses of a template:

1) If you create a new presentation based on a template, PowerPoint essentially creates a copy of the template in memory and names it Presentation1 (or Presentation2 etc.). The new presentation will contain the contents (slides) of the template, so for example if you created 3 slides in the template, the new presentation will contain the same 3 slides. Any text boxes, pictures etc. that have been placed on the slides will be in the new presentation too. If there is a Slide Master in the template, it will be in the new presentation too, but it is not necessary to have a Slide Master in the template (although I would recommend to have one).

2) If you apply a design template to an open presentation, PowerPoint does *not* look at the slides in the template, but at the Slide Master (and at the Title Master if present), and applies that to the slides in the open presentation. So if you want to use a template this way, it *must* have a Slide Master, otherwise nothing will happen.

[AlanChris]

Thank you, again. I believe that my confusion comes because I was not aware of that which you explained in the 2nd part of your reply. I can see that applying a design template to an open presentation can lead to disaster. What I do not understand is why I have had trouble creating a new presentation based on a template. I select the template and nothing happens. What could I have done wrong?

Thanks again.
Alan

[HansV]

We'd have to see the template...

[AlanChris]

I tried to send the template but it did not go through.
Alan

[HansV]

If it is larger than 100 KB, zip it and attach the zip file.
Make sure that specifying the attachment is the last thing you do before clicking 'Post It'. If you preview your post after specifying the attachment, the 'Attach a file' box will be cleared.

[AlanChris]

I tried to e-mail the template privately but it does not provide for attachments. The template is 35 kb. Thank you, again.
Alan

[AlanChris]

I zipped the template.

[HansV]

You have added a photograph to the Title Master. This will only be used by the title slide of your presentation.
You haven't added anything to the Slide Master, so slides other than the title slide will not have any picture or background.